Abbott Seeks Declaratory Judgment Against J&J

Law360, New York (October 3, 2006, 12:00 AM EDT) -- Less than a week after launching a new line of drug-eluting coronary stents in Europe, Abbott Laboratories has sought declaratory judgment, trying to quell the threat of a patent infringement suit from Johnson & Johnson Inc.

In a complaint dated September 29, Abbott asks the court to declare that every claim in three Johnson & Johnson patents related to drug-coated coronary stents is invalid, and that the patents are not infringed by Abbott’s newly launched Xience V stent. While the Xience V stents are only approved...